THOUGHT FOR THE WEEK

Many of us are familiar with the phrase, “Don’t be so heavenly minded that you are of no earthly good.”  I am sure that I have said this many times myself.  However, I now realize that this phrase is not complete.  Actually, by itself it represents an imbalanced and distorted view of living the Christian life.  Maybe we should look at it this way, “Make sure that you are heavenly minded so that you will be useful for God’s good work on earth.”

Here are a few points to consider.  We are called citizens of heaven (Philippians 3:20).  Christians are part of God’s family and share the same rights and privileges, regardless of their earthly citizenship.  They are ambassadors of a heavenly country (Hebrews 11:16; 2 Corinthians 5:20), which means they represent God’s interests first and foremost.  Next, we are told to seek the wisdom from above, not of this earth.  The contrast between the two is staggering (James 3:13-18).  Filling your life with earthly wisdom will produce rivalry, selfish ambition, jealousy, boasting, and chaos.  Filling your life with heavenly wisdom will make life sensible, peaceable, gentle, and merciful.

Your effectiveness on earth will develop as you learn to operate with God’s heavenly values and resources.  Consider: “Set your mind on the things above, not on the things that are on earth” (Colossians 3:2).  “Just as we have borne the image of the earthly, we will also bear the image of the heavenly” (1 Corinthians 15:49).

This thought was written by Paul M. Curtas, General Director of FCAP.

 

UPLIFT WITH EILEEN (Thoughts from the Heart of an Airline Spouse)

Faith Proven by Trials

Eileen is the wife of a Delta pilot.  Her blog series is entitled “Fine Lines in the Faith.”  More about the author in her own words: “I’m a Sunday school grad. I’ve accepted Jesus in my heart more times than I can remember. I’ve worn masks well and God has stripped me of them, painfully. He has broken my spiritual legs and taught me how to walk again, painfully. Still learning to walk.  The unknown is unsettling to me. This place is the start of a journey unknown to me.  I don’t know who will visit here or who will stay, if these words will be criticized or will bless. But I welcome you here!  My true hope is that this is the start of an act of obedience to God’s calling, a calling to write what He has entrusted to me.  Join me in this journey to know Him more, love Him more and grow in our freedom by pursuing these fine lines in the faith.

Corporate & Business Aviation Fellowship – A Virtual Opportunity

Corporate and business aviation personnel are coming together for regular times of connecting with one another in fellowship, encouragement, and prayer.  The time is facilitated by corporate pilot Jamie Luttrell.  Whether you are currently employed or are in transition, please make plans to join us!  For more information, you can contact jamieluttrell@att.net.

Latino Showcase

During our virtual monthly meeting of FCAP Leadership on February 17, we had the awesome privilege of hearing from Diego Suarez Morales and Sergio Perdomo in Colombia, South America about what God has been doing and continues to do in the Latino part of our airline/aviation world.  Even though it does not have sound with it, we would like to share with you their PowerPoint presentation.  It moves rather quickly through the slides, but hopefully you can get a taste of how God is using His people throughout the Latin community.

 

LIVING IN A TENSE WORLD (Study in 1 Peter)

The Apostle Peter wrote his first letter in approximately 62AD. At that time Christians were treated as foreigners and enemies of the Roman state. Their beliefs were thought to be a threat to the progress of culture. The thoughts and words of Peter’s letter (1 Peter) provided a foundation for Christians to understand God’s purpose in their times and how to respond to the tension and persecution of the world. This short letter has much to say to those of us facing a growing antagonism in our times.

 

Chapter 1:1-12        Foreigners Scattered on a Mission

Chapter 1:13-16      A Life of Hope and Holiness

Chapter 1:17-25      Reverence, Fear & Purity

Chapter 2:1-10        Images Depicting the Christian Life

Chapter 2: 11-17      Declaring God’s Glory

Chapter 2:18-20     God’s Grace – When under Submission

Chapter 2:21-25     Supreme Example of Submission

Chapter 3:1-7         Submission in Marital Responsibilities

Chapter 3:8-12       Living in an Undesirable World

Chapter 3:13-17      Suffering for the Name of Christ

Chapter 3:18-22     The Sufferings of Christ

Chapter 4:1-6         The Battle- World vs God

Chapter 4:7-11        Perspective for Living under Suffering

Chapter 5:1-5          Leadership’s Example under Persecution

Chapter 5:5-9         Modeling Humility under Persecution

Chapter 5:10-14      Peter’s Final Words

 

 

When All Around My Soul Gives Way…

The following thoughts come from Chris MacDonald, Director of ACN (Airline Christian Network) in Australia:

 

January 10, 2021

When all around my soul gives way…

“I hope the borders just stay shut.”

“My company has actually had its biggest year and given its biggest bonus ever.”

Have people said anything similar to you? This is just a sample of the comments I have received in the last twelve months. Sometimes I felt like people had temporarily forgotten that I am (was?) an airline pilot.

At the same time as these upbeat remarks, airline employees have had no choice but to endure punch after punch. Through no fault of our own, we have lost incomes, routines, homes, plans, and security. Whilst others are enjoying a more relaxed pace of life and more time with family, many of us are working longer and spending less time at home as we scramble to find alternative work and earn enough to keep paying the bills.

Those who are still flying face multiple quarantine fortnights, in a time where there is concern about how harmful doing this just once can be to a person’s mental health. That crew are handling it so well is a testament to their resilience and shows why we have these people in the roles that they do.

As we now enter 2021 and I look back at last year, I have realised something quite helpful on one hand, because I have finally put my finger on it, but disheartening on the other: most people outside the industry don’t really care about how COVID impacts me. Because their own life has been unaffected (particularly here in Perth), they view minority industries such as the airlines as acceptable collateral in order to maintain “the greater good”.

In response I have three practical thoughts. Perhaps they help you too:

  1. The blokes in my Bible study have been an exception to all of the above. I have benefitted immensely from discussions and time with them and their genuine and practical care has been obvious. When we sold our house, 12 men from Bible Study showed up and moved all our stuff. If you don’t have a group like this, find one.
  2. Even if those outside don’t, other airline employees do care about me. The family feel of my company has never been more apparent than now. So don’t be a stranger to some people you know who are going through the same thing.
  3. Finally, when the fallout of COVID inevitably spreads further in the months and years ahead, airline employees will be in a position of experience to offer help. It’s not all about me and maybe others can be assisted by those who have gone before.

Yet there is still a more important point that must be made. My disappointment in people’s lack of concern reveals that I have been looking for comfort in the wrong places. This song was re-worked from a hymn in the wake of the 2011 shooting massacre in Norway. Its words remind us of the only person in whom we can find true hope and strength at all times, even in days like the ones we are now in.

My hope is built on nothing less
Than Jesus’ blood and righteousness
I dare not trust the sweetest frame
But wholly trust in Jesus’ name

Christ alone, Cornerstone
Weak made strong in the Savior’s love
Through the storm He is Lord, Lord of all

His oath, His covenant, His blood,
Support me in the whelming flood.
When all around my soul gives way
He then is all my Hope and Stay
He then is all my Hope and Stay